An alliance of creatives

AVLA is a not-for-profit organisation established in the United Kingdom by the creators of films, series, documentaries, cartoons and other audiovisual works.

We offer the most comprehensive audiovisual licence for hotels, hostels, B&Bs, guesthouses and other similar establishments, so they can legally show in public TV channels containing works from our repertoire.

Explore AVLA

AVLA is an alliance of associations representing the largest community of creators of audiovisual works.

The AVLA Licence

Put simply, the AVLA licence authorizes you to show in public TV channels that contain audiovisual works (films, series, documentaries, cartoons and other shows) from our vast catalogue. If you operate a hotel, hostel, B&B, guesthouse or similar establishment that has TVs in bedrooms and/or public areas – such as a lobby, lounge, restaurant, bar, gym or salon – then you will probably need to obtain our licence.

Get your licence

Register now and benefit from discounted rates. It just takes a few clicks and less than five minutes to get your AVLA licence.

Our Members

Your contribution makes a difference

Jean Rogers

Actress, BECS chair

“Contrary to popular belief, the vast majority of creatives involved in the production of entertainment are freelancers, on modest or low wages with difficulties securing long-term employment.

We are proud that our work is made available to hotel guests to enhance their travel experience. The AVLA licence will help keep us going whilst also supporting the UK audiovisual sector to remain alive and strong, contributing to the financing of even more films, television series and documentaries.”

Paul Powell

Comedy writer and producer

“The creation of AVLA is excellent news for UK script writers. While we love sharing our work with the widest possible audience, creators rely on receipts and royalties to keep the wheels turning. AVLA is a welcome addition to the CMO community and I’m delighted to see them championing fair remuneration for all contributors alongside promoting the UK Audiovisual sector on the international stage.”

Nigel Stone

Producer, founder & CEO of Platinum Films

“The AVLA licence helps to support the audiovisual sector in the UK, to keep it alive and strong, as well as to foster local talent. The licence fees contribute to finance the production of new films, series, documentaries, and other TV shows, and in turn sustain tens of thousands of workers and small companies involved in the process.”

Lola May

Actress, singer, writer, director

“The creators of audiovisual works deserve to be paid for the use of their work. Our industry is one of unpredictable work, so every job we do deserves to be paid regardless of where it ends up.

The AVLA licence is not only fair, but also a legal obligation. The revenues distributed by AVLA to the audiovisual creators is vital income for individuals who often work intermittently and might struggle to make ends meet at one stage or another.“

Helen Blakeman

Writer

“Writers and creators rely on the fair distribution and remuneration of their work – especially in the current digital age. The creation of AVLA is therefore another much-needed defender of those working in the audiovisual sector. The promotion of UK work internationally is also another force for good.”

Harriet Bridgeman

Visual artists representative

“The AVLA licence is imperative to support the creation of new and independent works. Not only does the revenue distributed by AVLA to the audiovisual creators form part of a vital income for individuals who would otherwise struggle to make ends meet, it also supports a wide community of creatives. The creators of audiovisual works deserve to be paid for the use of their work.”

Robert Emms

Actor

“As creators of audiovisual works, we are grateful to those establishments that take the AVLA licence for respecting the rights of creatives and supporting us.

I trust my collecting society to collect and distribute royalties for the use of our work, and to do so fairly and efficiently.”

Di Redmond

Author and scriptwriter

“We take for granted being able to watch a fantastic film or catch up on the most recent episode of our favourite soap when we stay in a hotel, it really adds to our enjoyment of the experience and provides that extra level of entertainment. A great number of creatives put their lifeblood into making these films and shows and it’s great that in future, through AVLA, they will all be paid for the value their works bring to hotels, hostels and other similar venues. “

Ian Bevitt

Director

“TV professionals, including directors, often face the misconception of living comfortable lives. In reality, many of us are freelancers, dealing with fluctuating pay rates and long gaps between jobs.

AVLA’s licence fees provide crucial income support during these periods, allowing us to sustain our creative careers. Without this assistance, it would be challenging for creators, like me, to make a living directing your beloved TV shows or documentaries.“

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is there a new licence?

Hotels, hostels, B&Bs, guesthouses and other hospitality accommodation businesses derive value from offering TV channels to their guests. UK and international law recognise that the creators of copyright-protected audio-visual works in the likes of films, series, documentaries, cartoons and other shows, e.g. producers, authors, performers, directors and visual artists (“Audio-visual Rightsholders”) should be fairly compensated when their works are communicated to the public.

Thanks to copyright protection, rightsholders are able to benefit from the exploitation of their copyright works. In fact, copyright is the basis on which the creative industries exist and can develop further.

The Copyright Act 1956 already recognised that the communication to the public of audio-visual content (e.g. films, series, TV programmes, etc.) in the UK is restricted by the copyright in such work. It is based on that Act that collecting societies dealing with music have for decades been able to licence the music in broadcasts communicated to the public. Following a change to copyright legislation in the UK, introduced in June 2016 (Section 72 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988), UK law now also recognises the rights of Audio-visual Rightsholders when their works are communicated to the public. Consequently, businesses now require to obtain the permission of Audio-visual Rightsholders to communicate their copyright works to the public in their premises.

The AVLA licence is a simple solution to facilitate this process: establishments can clear the rights to both an extremely large number of titles, as well as to various categories of Audio-Visual Rightsholders.

I subscribe to pay TV and I already have another licence. Is that enough?

No. Licences issued by other organisations do not replace the AVLA licence, and vice versa. If, at your establishment, you offer your guests TV channels (whether free-to-air or subscription-based networks) containing works from the AVLA repertoire, you will need to get the AVLA licence – even if you have already obtained other licences. Otherwise, you would be infringing the intellectual property rights of our rights-holders.

I rent out a studio apartment to tourists. Do I need the AVLA licence?

Probably yes. You will need the AVLA licence if your establishment has TVs that could show television programmes containing works of our repertoire. You do not need the licence if there are no TVs on your premises.

Where does the money go?

Almost all of the licence fees we collect are passed on to the rights-holders we represent. For example, for a film, the royalties will go to the production company that financed and distributed it, the screenwriters and actors, the director, and the people who designed the logo and posters.

As a not-for-profit organisation, we retain only a small portion of these revenues to cover our operating costs. And because we are a member-led organisation, these costs are strictly controlled.

By taking out the AVLA licence, hospitality accommodation businesses are directly helping to maintain a vibrant audiovisual sector, in the UK and beyond. The royalties we collect help to finance the production of new films, series, documentaries and other TV shows, and to sustain tens of thousands of workers and companies involved in the process.

Official Licensor

AVLA is recognized and regulated by the UK government for the licensing of audiovisual rights.